A Line in the Sand
by riesling
Summary: Full summary inside. / This wasn't the touch that would send her back home to Gippal, ashamed of herself. This was a touch that would keep her here, with him, her other man; and she would lavish every pleasure he would allow her. / REVISED! Please R&R!
1. Struggling Behind Her Doubts

**A Line in the Sand

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Summary:** After three years with Gippal, Rikku's relationship ends on a stormy night in Luca when he reveals a desperate secret and breaks Rikku's heart with his revelation. Regretful that she ran into the arms of his best friend and the powerful praetor of New Yevon, Rikku finds herself waiting to meet with Baralai while she reflects on everything that brought her to this point. As Rikku struggles to convince herself to stay until he arrives, she is not aware that Baralai is just as conflicted about their actions as she is. Will seeing each other once again bring about the relief that each is so desperately searching for? Is the weight of their actions too much for their fledgling relationship to stand under?

And what are these feelings betraying Rikku that still long for the touch of Gippal?

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**Author's Note:** This story is going to take place under a set of slightly complex time-changes from past to present. I'm thinking that they are going to flow nicely, every other chapter. But this is only the first and I'm farther away from foolish enough to promise you that sort of pattern. I really don't want to have to italicize an entire chapter to denote that it took place in the past, though I will do this if it is necessary to keep things clear and within the realm of easy understanding for everyone. Please just let me know which option would make reading this story easier.

Thanks for your time, and I hope that you enjoy this story. Please take the time to review and offer me suggestions for the next chapters or opinions on what you think I can improve on. **TurboTwistedFire** was kind enough to leave constructive criticism and I have already put those suggestions into action with this, a revised version of chapter one. So, thank you in advance to everyone who leaves constructive criticism. You are my favorite people for helping me make my writing better!

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Struggling Behind Her Doubts

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Somewhere from across the waves a gull was calling. The cry, loud at first, seemed to get lost somewhere between the waves breaking against the shoreline and the unnatural sounds from the bustling wharfs of the city, nestled safely above the shoreline. Though the gull continued in its large, precise circling of the water's surface, it received no notice from the people who milled about on their own. The shuffled around from one shop to the others, passing one restaurant after another and not taking much notice to anything outside of themselves.

It was a pleasant day, she took a moment to note, as the sunlight poured around the docks, bursting with activity. There was a slight enough breeze to, every once in a while, play lightly at the strands of her radiant blonde hair, tied away from her face in a rather elaborate weave of braids, beads, and elastics.

Blinking her sea green eyes to the occasional passerby, Rikku found herself rather content to leaning her elbow against the glass surface of the high, narrow table she found herself waiting at. Her chin made its resting place in the palm of her hand and her legs would occasionally cross and uncross in impatience. She might have looked a bit reticent to those who noticed, as though she was caught up in one particularly pleasant fantasy or another.

Ex-guardians and Heroes of Spira didn't have fantasies that weren't pleasant. They didn't have bad days and, almost certainly, they never waited at seaside cafes with distant, forlorn looks on their faces.

But Rikku was far too caught up to really consider the image that she was casting to those around her. Running a free hand through her hair cautiously, she took a deep breath, really enjoying the fresh smell of the salty sea and the warm sunlight on her naturally bronzed skin. But even the novelty of being in Luca couldn't tear her worries away from the matter currently at hand.

'Ooh! Why here?' she curled her toes unconsciously inside of her boots before unfurling them once again. Drumming her fingers impatiently, yet deliberately, against the glass beneath her, Rikku let her thoughts drift further towards their current destination, 'Why this, of all places?'

"Excuse me, Miss," the waiter had been the one to interrupt her thoughts. His eyes scanned her slender figure, the way her tanned legs had crossed and uncrossed themselves, the way the smooth fabric of her dress stretched temptingly across her thighs, the sun-kissed glow of her bronzed shoulders, the gentle rise and fall of her chest…

"Yes?"

Blushing slightly at how quickly the Ex-Guardian had been able to snap him out of his thoughts, the waiter buried his gaze into the palm of his hand, where a notepad was waiting for her order. Clearing his throat, he smiled at her, "Might I bring you something to drink while you wait?"

Rikku hadn't given a second thought to her too-tight dress so reminiscent of sunlight or the elaborate orange and white ribbons that held her hair away from her face when she'd arrived in Luca. Rikku didn't let her thoughts question if she looked nice enough to see him again; her waiter had made that all but painfully obvious. With a polite smile, she sent him on his way with a sweet, "No thanks! I'm sure he'll be here any minute!"

She had pretended not to notice the look on his face as she'd admitted her guest was male. Rikku imagined that he wouldn't be the only one around her shocked when Baralai showed up to sit in the seat across from hers. It was an unlikely match, especially considering that she'd been paired with the leader of the Al Bhed Machine Faction, Gippal, and he'd been engaged to her best friend and powerful Ex-Guardian, Paine. But this was lunch between friends.

Rikku tried desperately to make herself believe that.

The waiter turned on his heel so quickly that Rikku wasn't sure if it was the breeze that toyed with her hair was natural or man-made. She smiled because, still, the reaches of that breeze were slow and calm as it brought the familiar smell of the nearby ocean. A scent that, here in Luca, was nothing like it was in Besaid.

Besaid. The water there was crystal clear, deep and vast, but still shimmering and cool. In Luca, the water was a deeper shade of blue, darker; like a storm. And, for the moment, all Rikku could find herself remembering were stormy nights. Most notably her worst stormy night; when the waves had crashed against the shoreline, loud, harsh, unforgiving. It was a string of thoughts that she had been so desperately trying to keep her mind from tracing; they brought guilt, uncertainty, and questions.

Because it was thoughts like these that reminded her of the night she'd gotten herself into this mess in the first place. The night everything had fallen apart.


	2. All Yours Tonight

**A Line in the Sand

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****Author's Note:** This is a flashback. Also, thanks for the reviews and keep them coming! After revising the first chapter I was inspired to write the second one! And I think its much better than the first!

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**All Yours Tonight

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**

It had been raining.

A cold and vindictive drizzle that was painfully uncharacteristic of the season had driven them from the happy streets lined with clubs and dance halls full of activity and movement, with restaurants packed full of exultant people. The day had been bright but the sunset had brought nothing but endless clouds, chilly breezes, and everlasting rain. It had started not long after they'd arrived in Luca, but Gippal, being the gentleman that Rikku had seemed to think could only be for her, held her close with an umbrella above their heads to keep them away from the rain. And they took small steps, huddled close to one another with smiles plastered on their faces as they laughed along their merry way.

Because it was their anniversary. A day that marked the three years of her life that she had devoted to only him. Being there with him, in that city; there was nothing that could have made the bright-eyed girl happier.

They would have had a perfect view of the ocean, rough and choppy as the impending storm made it, had it not been so dark outside. But there were clouds covering any trace of moonlight that might have tried to escape their dense nature. The only light in the room came from a streetlamp somewhere far below their window. The only sound was of the rain pounding relentlessly against the floor to ceiling glass windows that lined the entire north and west walls of the room.

That particular room in the hotel had been reserved for them months ahead of time. And Rikku knew almost immediately why he would have settled for nothing less than the large expanse of space offered. Everything was lovely. The marble floors, the shimmering windows, the deep mahogany furniture that covered nearly every square inch of available space. It was absolutely breathtaking. The elaborate layers of silk curtains that hung from somewhere near the ceiling, the soft bedspread she was silently gripping in tight fists.

Rikku let her green eyes scan the window, breathless at the sight she beheld. The mercury light from below gave off a slightly fake orange glow that reflected in the droplets of water clinging to the magnificent windows. Each water droplet seemed to magnify the light from below hundreds of times over until the warmth seemed to seep underneath Rikku's skin; a small comfort. And he was standing there, with one palm supporting his weight as he leaned against the window and stared somewhere down at the street below. His silhouette met her eyes, framed in the bleary pumpkin colored light.

But the blurring might have been more the result of the tears stinging at her eyes than the rain droplets from outside.

He took a deep breath, breaking through the tense silence rather unexpectedly. Turning around to face her, Gippal ran a hand through his smooth blonde hair and remained motionless for a moment. Rikku could barely make out a faint hint of a glimmer in his eyes. The result of tears that he was struggling to keep from falling from his own eyes. It was slightly alarming, to see him in such a weakened and emotional state, but Rikku could still taste the bitterness on her lips and comforting him was the last thing she wanted to do.

'Why's he the one crying?'

There was another uncomfortable silence that settled over the pair of young Al Bhed for a moment before he shifted his weight a bit uneasily. Gippal was unable to bring his eyes to meet hers, he couldn't even bring himself to look at her, still dressed in the lovely emerald summer dress she'd gotten just for the occasion of their anniversary. He didn't want to see her strong, bronzed shoulders shake; he didn't want to see the pain in her green eyes.

He didn't want to see what he'd done to her.

Shiva, he wanted to reach out and feel the smooth fabric of that dress sliding over her shoulders underneath his hand. He wanted to feel her breath, warm and intense against the base of his neck. Gippal wanted to feel her small form pressed comfortably underneath his own. He wanted to make her squirm; to hold her in his arms and make her feel better. Make her truly feel better; make his princess forgive him.

But all he could do was stand there with his eyes glued to the floor and his fists clenching and unclenching. Still unsure of just how he'd done it in the first place, he knew she needed an apology. Gippal eventually managed, "I'm sorry, Rikku."

She drew in a shaky breath as her response, shutting her eyes tightly. She prayed that not seeing him could make him truly go away, that if she lost sight of him she wouldn't have to hear the things that he was saying. Rikku brought one of her fists to her chest where her heart was twisting rather uncomfortably, as though that action might take away even a bit of the pain she was feeling.

But she didn't answer him and Gippal interpreted her silence as an invitation to continue, "I wanted to tell you sooner or later. I just… I couldn't, Rikku."

The way he kept saying her name, it was painful to hear it escaping his lips. The tone it carried was one of sorrow, regret, mixing with desperation. She could still hear his voice echoing through her mind but Rikku was trying desperately to tune him out. She was praying for the strength to continue to hold her emotions inside. Letting Gippal see her cry, letting herself be so weak in front of him, made the young Al Bhed beauty cringe inside and she desperately fought for control of her emotions.

"I'm sorry but you have to understand…"

He was lying.

He was making excuses.

Rikku let that explain why it seemed as though he was speaking over a million miles a minute but still hadn't managed to find the courage to look her in the eyes. If there was really something that his heart wanted to say to her, then his eyes would have been locked with hers. He would have been sincere. He would have been completely heartbroken, she decided. But to lie to her face?

Could Gippal have tried to find a more cowardly way out of the situation in which they now found themselves in? Rikku hoped she could allow herself to believe that even he wasn't' heartless enough for that; but recent events had left her doubting him.

She shook her head 'no' as an answer, hoping that he would interpret it as a desperate attempt to get him to stop rather than a explain the things she apparently didn't understand. Her heart felt as though it had been wrenched from her chest and all that was left was some empty, hollow place. She felt so tired, so betrayed. There were so many emotions all at once that she was confused.

"I worked so hard to make you mine, Rikku. And to tell you about a mistake I made on one drunken night here in Luca? I-I just couldn't," he trailed off, taking a step towards her.

"Stop it, Gippal," her voice was hardly above a whisper but her eyes hadn't left him since he'd taken that last step towards her. His arms were still by his side, but that didn't make Rikku feel any safer. Her eyes darted towards the door, quickly returning to his form to see if he had noticed her attention drifting.

"But I thought if I just ignored it-"

"I said stop it!" her legs didn't want to work any more than her heart seemed to want to start beating again. Gippal couldn't possibly begin to understand the emotional toll that his words were having on her. He was all but telling her that having her, just her, only her wasn't good enough for him; that he wasn't happy being with her. And that was, truly, too much for the poor girl to handle.

Rikku buried her head in her hands, trying to recall how to breathe. She was too consumed with remembering how to keep herself alive to cry, to react to Gippal in any way at all. She was absolutely desperate to clear her mind for a moment. So many words swam through her head, all things that she wanted to desperately to say to him, but she couldn't grasp anything long enough to form a coherent thought. And just saying the things swarming through her mind was impossible, as all sound seemed to die at her lips.

Everything burned; her chest, her throat, her eyes.

"Just… just don't say anything else, Gippal."

"I didn't want you to find out like this. Not tonight; I had so much else I wanted to say," he quieted, noticing the look in her eyes because, finally, he'd mustered the strength to look at her. He waited, wondering if she would reprimand him for speaking again, or if she might say something herself. After a moment, he moved closer to her, closer to the bed, and he stopped slightly in front of her. And their eyes met for the first time as she gazed up at him through a few loose strands of her lovely golden hair.

Her feelings were a rather confusing mix of loathing and adoration. His hair was just slightly wet from the rain and he was still wearing his collared shirt from dinner that night. Rikku could smell him, an intoxicating scent of rainwater and cologne. He was Gippal, her boyfriend, the man that she loved. And Rikku wished she could keep him like that. She wanted to remember him the way he had seemed to her just moments before, when she had still be so blissfully unaware of his other woman. When they had been together, forever.

She didn't want to let it all go.

He was beautiful. He was absolutely beautiful with his gorgeous blonde locks of hair that fell gently across his forehead and slightly into his eyes. His ashy blonde eyelashes were still stuck together from the rain, just slightly. And, Shiva, those eyes. When he looked down at her, she could see the sorrow clearly evident in them. But she wasn't frozen any longer and she quickly gathered a few of her things and rushed through the hotel room door. Rikku had never been more desperate as she frantically tried to find her way as far from him as she could manage.

She loved him and hated him all at once in that moment. And that was why she had to let go.


	3. Scotch and Water

**A Line in the Sand**  


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**Author's Note:** Back to the present! Thanks for all of the reviews and for your support; please keep it coming!

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**Scotch and Water**

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That had been the first night in her life that Rikku had ever known what it was like to be at her most defenseless. She had been completely oblivious to the fact that Gippal had been less than faithful to her and, when he'd finally confessed his secrets to her, Rikku was pretty torn apart inside. It was as though Gippal had unassembled her like she was one of the machina experiments he hadn't cared to reassemble when he'd finished. Over the years they had been together, he had somehow managed to take down her walls and worm through all of her mysteries. There was so little that he didn't know about her.

But apparently there had been a lot she hadn't known about him.

Despite the time that had passed since that horrible night less than five months ago, Rikku still felt broken. She was so much emptier at present than she had ever known it possible to be. Or perhaps she was just more aware of the emptiness, knowing now what it was like to be full.

Sitting at that café, waiting on Baralai to arrive had made her realize that it had hurt. It still hurt, especially because the man coming to meet her on that sunny afternoon wasn't Gippal. Hell, for all Rikku knew, she was probably always going to hurt, and long, and wish for Gippal. She really hated him for that; making sure that she'd never truly be able to get over him.

But something inside of her still loved him for all that he had meant to her and, despite the terrible things that had happened between them, Rikku knew she didn't hate him. Not even a little. Not even at all. Perhaps she hated the things that he had done to her, to them. But it wasn't the man she hated; just his actions. And maybe there were a few of his mannerisms that she hated, as well. Like the way he'd made her walls fall down and convinced her to trust him only to have him turn around and ruin everything they'd had in the end.

Frowning, Rikku leaned back slightly on her stool, wrapping her arms protectively around her shoulders. She took a deep breath and let her gaze linger to the people surrounding her for a moment, wondering if they had even noticed the change in her at all. There had been another breeze and, though she knew it wasn't possible, things really seemed to be much colder now than they had been only seconds before.

Her eyes scanned the busy streets, searching for any sign of him. It wasn't like Baralai to be late and it was even less like him to make her wait without sending some word of his whereabouts. Biting her lower lip nervously, she began to wonder if he would even come at all.

Rikku still wasn't able to explain to herself why she was waiting, alone, in that café for Gippal's former Crimson Squad companion, Baralai, to meet her. Her feelings about Gippal couldn't make right of the situation that she'd somehow managed to put herself in with her former lover's best friend. But it was the magnitude of the situation that kept her seated, waiting patiently.

"Might you be ready for a drink, Miss?" the voice was kind, noticing that she seemed to be deep in thought as her eyes scanned the lovely sea. Perhaps she had been caught in a pleasant daydream about the gentleman she was waiting to join her? Or maybe she'd been pondering what could have been taking him so long. She'd been seated for nearly fifteen minutes there, alone next to the ocean. He quickly added, "While you wait."

"Oh!" she offered the man a smile more radiant than she'd been able to managed in a long, long while. Her attention was focused on him and, as she ran a hand through her hair, she bit her lower lip and narrowed her eyes slightly. It was clear that she was trying to make up her mind. Finally, with a small laugh, she answered, "Scotch and water, please."

Her eyes widened almost as soon as she'd said the words, but her waiter was already on his way back to the bar to fill her order. Rikku couldn't imagine why she'd possibly selected that drink, out of the thousands that were swimming through her mind now, after the fact. Tugging lightly on the bottom of her dress and smoothing it out beneath her, Rikku frowned. That was Gippal's favorite drink.

She had tried so hard to rid herself of every trace of him, to erase every tendency that they had once shared. There were some days when she was, emotionally, strong enough to handle recalling the happier times; but on this day, waiting for Baralai to come to the seaside café, Rikku knew that she wasn't going to be able to handle thoughts of Gippal, were they good or bad. But it was ironic, as he seemed to be the only thing on her mind. It comforted Rikku, though, that she hadn't been too hard on herself for those thoughts.

Every time she thought of him she was often reminded of his betrayal and she'd always try to convince herself that she had to have expected something. She berated herself, late at night and long after she was expected to be asleep, for not acting on it first. Surely it had been there, right in front of her for weeks before the actual confession had come about.

It had been present in the form of treacherous scrapes and bruises marring his naturally bronzed skin. They were marks that she had known she hadn't left there herself. And it should have been so painfully obvious in the way that he looked at her, or rather, didn't look at her. Then there was the way that he pulled away from her embrace.

Rikku had known, all along, she just hadn't let herself believe.

And she could no more blame Gippal's mystery woman than she could blame herself for not seeing the truth.


	4. Unforgiving Vulnerabilities

**A Line in the Sand**

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**Author's Note:** We are still in the present, though we're switching perspectives and checking in on things with Baralai. I do apologize that this story has gotten off to a bit of a slow start but I do have a plan for things. It has taken a bit of time to develop the beginnings of the plot and, rather than long chapters, I broke them into smaller and shorter chapters. Baralai is finally introduced in this chapter and, in the next, I promise that things will pick up as more is revealed about the happenings that have brought about this little afternoon meeting between Rikku and Baralai in the first place. Your thoughts are always appreciated!  


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**Unforgiving Vulnerabilities**

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To say that he was running late would have been an understatement.

Baralai's tardiness seemed to be bordering dangerously close to absent and he wouldn't have been all too surprised to find that Rikku hadn't stayed at that café alone to wait for him. But, Shiva, how he hoped that he would see her slender frame, that long, luscious golden hair that still hung halfway down her back. He wanted to see those hypnotizing green eyes again; he had to. They were quickly becoming an obsession and Baralai wasn't pleased to admit how distracted he had been from his work as of late.

Rikku wasn't always the most punctual of people, he could remember. Baralai couldn't recall the exact circumstances from which he had drawn this knowledge but it hadn't really been all that long ago. She'd still been Gippal's girl, of course; and he supposed that it must have been some party or another that she'd made them both late to. But, even if she had been running late, herself, on that day, Baralai doubted that his twenty minute absence had been enough to find her late, as well. She had, on the other hand, always been organized and well put together.

He, in contrast, wasn't sure what he would do without his advisors to help sort things out for him. His desk would have been a disaster, his clothing might have never been well pressed, and his thoughts certainly wouldn't have had enough spare time to drift to a few ever pleasant thoughts of her. Baralai had almost let himself grow used to the fantasy that someday she might make herself a permanent fixture in his life; to help him sort through his disorganization, to keep a smile on his face where, before, there had been only solemnity, to bring out a better side of himself. Baralai could only pray that someday she might always be there.

But that was selfish, he knew.

Shoving his hands into the pocket of his praetor's robe, Baralai crossed the street to the café where they had agreed to meet that day. He was halfway across the street and already he could make out her graceful form, clad in a bright yellow frock and an occasional glimmer of bright orange. It was her golden hair, however, that let Baralai know it was really her. He studied the rest of the tables around her and couldn't help but feel a tinge of guilt pulling at him as he realized that people had probably been staring at her for some time. She was a celebrity, after all. She had never gotten used to all of the attention and he expected her to resent him, even if it was just slightly, when he finally arrived. Baralai had her all figured out.

Most of the time.

He was smiling, genuinely excited to have another opportunity to see her. But he stopped near the entrance of the courtyard for a moment as he remembered just why it was that he was getting to see her on that afternoon. He remembered with shockingly vivid clarity the situation that they had managed to get themselves into; the hurt that it would undoubtedly cause both parties.

A seriousness set in that was common of the powerful praetor but had been completely forgotten just seconds ago. He couldn't face her, not just yet. The two had been through a lot together; they were friends before anything. Frowning, Baralai realized that she was still, on some unspoken levels, Gippal's girl.

Regardless of how vulnerable she had been on that night five months ago.

Barring all of the precious few times that he'd seen her, in secret, between then and now.

But this was something so different for both of them. This was him and this was her; this was the two of them, together and in public. They'd had similar discussions so many times before, in so many places that he'd almost forgotten he'd only seen her three times since that night. But this time, Baralai really wanted the outcome of their discussion to be different. He didn't want to go another month or even two before he saw her again.

Because they were friends above all else.

They had been through so much together already.

And Baralai couldn't help but pray that she might cement her place in his life.


	5. Some Terrible Mistake

**A Line in the Sand**

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**Author's Note:** Another flashback. Another tragedy. But you've been reviewing and I'm really appreciating the feedback that you're sending my way. So I promise this will be a nice, long, update! I'm not defending the slow nature by which this story takes place .... but I promise that the flashbacks and the ending will be well worth the read. Besides, I'm willing to let you all tell me what you would like to see happen .... sigh .... I haven't even revealed the BEST part of the story yet!!! Please keep reading and let me know what you think!  


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**Some Terrible Mistake**

It was bad news. Worse than he could have ever imagined having to receive. And Baralai couldn't remember a time when he had been more shocked, confused, hurt… conflicted. He'd heard the words the first time she had said them, but he couldn't allow himself to believe her, and she had needed to repeat them. He refused to hear them again, the second time, and he knew that it must have caused her more pain to need to keep repeating herself, watching him deny any truth to what she said.

"Baralai… I'm sorry," she had paused in an attempt to let a bit of the ice leave her voice. She wasn't meaning to be cold towards him. It wasn't her intention to shatter the man in front of her. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she was, most certainly, most characteristically, her same cold self, "But I've found someone else."

And, in her moment of hesitation, Baralai allowed himself to toy with the possibility that perhaps she, too, was wishing that she wasn't telling the truth. Maybe she was hoping that, through his denial, there might be some way to take back what she had already said and prevent him from ever needing to hear more. Perhaps, if neither of them could accept the truth, every word she said could be forgotten and she wouldn't really have found someone else after all. She wouldn't really be gone.

Or maybe she wasn't really planning on leaving, after all. This was Paine he was concerned with, after all. And for every ounce of intelligence and strength she possessed, the grey-haired warrior seemed to lack an ability to express or comprehend love. That was Baralai's strength; his forte. He'd been as passionate and ardently expressive with Paine as he'd ever known how to be. The praetor loved that woman with every ounce of himself; if those emotions scared Paine… Hell! She certainly wasn't alone. Baralai was sometimes afraid of what his heart was capable of feeling for Paine…

But her eyes spoke the truth.

It had been the worst confession he'd ever heard in his life.

She was gone as quickly as she had entered his life. Gone again, a second time from him; but this time it had seemed so much more permanent than the last.

Baralai's world seemed to seesaw; tilting dangerously between the only form of normalcy he knew and this new reality he was still struggling to accept. Everything seemed to blur in and out of focus and his surroundings spun around him until he was certain that he was losing his mind. He wasn't sure how he'd gotten there, but he'd been lying on his bed, gripping the sheets tightly with his fingers. His biggest fear had been that if he lost his grip, he would find himself falling apart with the rest of his world.

Paine had been everything to him. He'd known it not long after his group of companions had disbanded and gone their separate ways after the final days of the Crimson Squad had come to an end. It was months before he had been able to function normally again and take on the responsibility of leading New Yevon through the turbulent years following the defeat of Sin. And then, just as he'd started pulling things in his life back together again, she appeared out of nowhere with the Lady Summoner and her Al Bhed cousin in tow.

He'd lost control of his senses, then, and all after he'd spent so much time pulling himself back together. Baralai was obsessed with the silent warrior; he could think of nothing more heartening than were she to join the ranks of New Yevon. It would mean that he would see her with so much more frequency, that he could quench his indescribable need to see her, to think of her constantly.

After Vegnagun had been defeated, she'd completely filled his heart when she agreed to return to Bevelle with him. Of course Baralai had promised her a post as commander of a new army, created to control the fiend population in Spira; but she was there, in Bevelle, with him.

It had been months before she'd smiled at him.

And he'd treasured that memory; it was so precious that it seemed to take precedence over the new ones that they were slowly forming together. The first time she'd allowed him to hold her hand. The first time his lips had ever met hers. The first time she'd agreed to spend the night in his bed. And, finally, when she'd accepted his proposal of marriage.

She'd made him the happiest man in all of Spira.

And oh the irony that now it would be another man who made her happy.

Staring at the ceiling, it was long past midnight when Baralai realized that he wasn't alone in his bedroom. There was the small, slender figure of Paine's two female companions, Yuna and Rikku in the darkness. It was, strangely, more comforting that he could describe to find them both there. But the praetor had to admit that he was rather embarrassed to be found in such a compromising position. He hadn't been crying, but he would have been damn hard-pressed to convince the two saviors of Spira of that fact. Paine was gone; she was no longer his girl, his lover and Baralai wondered how it was that the world could grind on without her presence in his life. His Paine, and now she was no longer his…

"Rikku," his voice was hoarse from the hours that he'd spent in silence. "Surely there was some mistake."

She reached for his shoulder, gripping it firmly in her small, fragile hand. Her voice was shaking when she responded, "I'm so sorry, Baralai."

"Come now, Praetor Baralai," Yuna's voice was soft as she held one of his strong hands in her own. "This just isn't like you; to be so upset… you're so unlike yourself!"

The powerful Lady Yuna's words had struck some chord with him.

He'd managed to pull himself together after that chance meeting with the two other members of the Gullwings. It had taken time to get used to the way that things were now. Everything was so different without her; like nothing could ever feel right to him again. He felt hollow and, though he often talked of moving on, he knew that hearing some voice that sounded like hers, coming across an old love letter he had written her, a picture he happened across, or a song that they'd both once loved would shatter his brittle façade and expose his pain so plainly to those around him.

Baralai had lived like that for how long, he couldn't even remember. He walked around with a painted smile on his face, fake in so many different ways. His voice held a rather manic note of happiness that was unnatural and completely unexpected from the praetor. But of course others thought he was strong, noting how well he was taking the news of his fiancé's betrayal. But there was no one there at night when he would toss and turn, unable to sleep for the dreams he knew would come to him of her. He was left with the ghost of a once familiar presence and wishing it were more.

He missed the pillow talk, the way she would whisper his name through the darkness to test if he was awake or not. He missed wrapping her in his arms late at night, one of the only times that she would ever let him act as her protector. He missed burying his face in her neck, smelling the familiar scent that was so unique to only her. Baralai missed her warmth; her company.

He missed everything they were. Everything that they could have been.

And it had torn him to pieces for too long already…


	6. If Only for Sunshine

**A Line in the Sand

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**Author's Note:** Back to the present for a short little teaser before another, longer flashback! Promise this one lends itself to telling the more exciting parts of the story! You won't want to stop reading here, loves...  


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**If Only for Sunshine

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Baralai frowned, studying the figure he knew belonged to Rikku. Her back was turned to him and her hair was pulled over her shoulder, exposing a rather large portion of her naturally bronzed skin. The yellow dress she wore was extremely bright. 'Fitting,' Baralai thought, 'for this day.'

Her eyes were focused somewhere far out to sea and her chin was resting in her hand. There was a half empty glass in her free hand, glimmering a translucent shade something between amber and pale golden yellow. And Baralai could almost swear that it didn't so much matter that the streets, the docks, everything surrounding him were so loud because he could hear the ice cubes clinking against the sides of her glass. It was a pure, crystalline sound that the praetor could feel echoing through his chest.

With every soft tap of ice against glass, with every subtle movement, with every breeze gently toying at her hair; Rikku was still unaware that Baralai was standing just outside the restaurant, completely breathless as he studied her. He frowned, wishing that there was some way to make right the wrong he'd caused her. He wanted there to be some phrase, a simple combination of words, anything that could erase the events he so desperately regretted.

Not regretted… never would he regret the feelings, emotions, and acts that he had experienced with Rikku.

But if there were only something that he could do to bring Rikku into his arms permanently, completely free of any pain or harm he had caused her with his own selfishness.

If only he could have been her friend when she had needed him, the way that she had been there for him when he'd needed her.

If only…

Turning back around, he leaned against the brick wall that surrounded the porch where people were sitting, happily passing their afternoons with friendly conversations and pleasant sunshine. He needed just another moment; just a bit more time to collect himself before he could face her today. Because he'd done a terrible, terrible thing on that rainy night five months ago.

It was her anniversary with his best friend.

And he's selfishly made that night about himself, rather than Rikku.


	7. Green Eyes Don't Lie

**The Wings that Keep Her Heart in the Clouds**

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**Author's Note:** Another flashback and a long overdue update. I've found a renewed interest in this story; so hopefully this chapter can spark your interest in it, as well. Your continued support is greatly appreciated.

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Green Eyes Don't Lie

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He had known, almost immediately, that something wasn't right. Something was different about the way she carried herself, the way her shoulders slumped so unnaturally. Rikku looked defeated; truly alone and completely lost in her thoughts. Her back was turned to him but just her posture was enough of a hint to the man watching her that she was upset. It didn't matter that she should have been in Luca with her boyfriend. It wasn't important that Baralai had known, for several months, that his friend had been planning to propose to the lovely young Al Bhed woman standing in front of him.

"I'm sorry," she snapped him out of his thoughts, making him forget about his concern for her current emotional state and wonder, instead, why she was standing at his doorstep, completely soaked from the rain. "I shouldn't have come."

She leaned heavily against the wall still under the protection of the ceiling above the alcove they were standing in. And Baralai wondered if she knew that he was watching her; if she wanted him to try to stop her from leaving. It was curiosity that caused Baralai to act; though he wouldn't have let her go on her own so late at night, even if it hadn't been raining, even if she hadn't looked so clearly upset, even if she hadn't acted so unlike herself.

"Rikku?" he reached out towards her, placing a strong hand on her shoulder. Baralai hoped that the action made her feel comforted; it was the last thing he would have wanted to do to cause her any amount of pain. She looked so defeated already. He took a step closer to her and, as her profile came into view, he noticed that she'd been crying.

The mascara that she had darkened her eyelashes with that night was running wildly in two paths down her near-porcelain cheeks. He looked down, noticing a puddle that was forming on his front porch. The water dripped slowly from the stunning emerald green dress matted to her small figure. It looked silky and clung to her body in ways that Baralai knew shouldn't have been making him blush. She must have looked absolutely breathtaking earlier in the evening, before the rain. And before whatever seemed to be upsetting her so much.

He took a moment, captivated by the wild, untamed beauty that seemed to be so natural of Rikku. Brushing a large chunk of wet bangs away from her forehead, he felt his breath catch in the back of his throat and he couldn't stop his heart from doing an unfamiliar flip-flop in his chest. Her hair was wet, hanging in loose waves around her face, despite the fact that the rain had washed away the more obvious signs that she'd had it done for the evening.

"Rikku? Is something wrong?"

"Yes."

Baralai took a step away from her, noticing an unfamiliar flash of anger mix with the sorrow in her sea green eyes. Her voice had been low, a scratchy sort of growl that he'd never thought possible of Rikku. The sound was nothing like the playful, carefree tone she normally used when she was around her friends. Even when she was scared, even when she was sad, even when she was…

Water trickled down her hairline and down the gentle curve of her nose before beading up and falling into the puddle forming at her feet. Standing there, looking at her, Baralai felt a sudden urge to wipe the water away. He couldn't even begin to explain the sensation.

"Come inside," he guided her through the front door by her elbow. "And tell me what's on your mind."

She let him lead her into the large entry way of the mansion Baralai had all to himself since Paine had left him for someone else. The way their footsteps echoed against the marble floor and reverberated in a seemingly endless manner through the shadows was the only sound between them. It was cold inside and Rikku wrapped her arms around herself in a feeble attempt to keep warm. But he kept walking, leading her to a stairway that wrapped around the edge of the entryway and led to a balcony that overlooked most of the grand sitting rooms on the first floor.

"There was someone else," she said lamely, following closely behind the half-dressed figure of Baralai.

He'd heard Rikku, all right, but there was something that he just couldn't accept about the statement. It was obvious what she meant and it explained why she'd shown up in Bevelle when she should have still been in bed with Gippal in Luca. It was their anniversary; three damn years together. It was the most faithful that Gippal had ever been in his life; and Baralai had been let in on the Al Bhed man's secret plan to propose to Rikku after their romantic dinner, their long walk through the streets of Luca, and all the other romantic ideas he'd been conjuring in his mind for ages.

"I don't understand," he finally managed.

It just didn't make sense to him that Gippal would have had another woman while he was so happy with Rikku. But maybe it had been the magnitude of the decisions that had been weighing so heavily on the other man's shoulders. Baralai didn't know what 'forever' meant to a man like Gippal, a man who had more women swooning over him around every turn than was healthy for his ego. Baralai didn't know what the thought of committing himself to only one woman for the rest of his life had done to Gippal, but he was sure that he was leading the result of that internal conflict through the empty hallways of his mansion.

"He's been seeing someone else."

"Who?"

Rikku looked up at him with eyes that were blank yet overfilling with emotion at the same time. To Baralai, she looked as though the thought of 'who' Gippal's other woman was had never occurred to her and he immediately felt foolish for ever having asked the question in the first place. Baralai stopped, staring at her for a moment to take a deep breath and compose himself. He really wasn't sure what to say to the poor woman standing in front of him. She looked utterly helpless, hopeless.

"How did he-" he'd started too quickly. Clearing his throat, Baralai began again, "How did he tell you?"

She didn't answer, just shook her head. And Baralai had to be content with accepting that as her answer as he led them on through the silence, through the darkness.

Two dark hallways and another staircase later, they were standing at a door and, as soon as Baralai had opened it, Rikku knew it was Paine's room. The surroundings exuded her. Everything from the dark mahogany furniture to the white walls covered in various swords and trophies from her training days, her adventures. There was a thin layer of dust covering everything; it was obvious that Baralai hadn't used this room, hadn't visited it, since Paine had walked out on him.

Rikku vaguely wondered, for a moment, why she had left so many of her things behind. She knew why Baralai hadn't ever disposed of her belongings; but it was a bit cruel that she would attempt to hang onto him by leaving her things at his mansion… even when she'd made it perfectly clear she wanted nothing to do with the praetor.

"Things were… rather messy. She left in a hurry."

He'd answered her question before she'd asked it and, as the familiar sound of a comsphere echoed through the hallways from a room a few doors down, Baralai quickly excused himself. He was greatly relieved to be leaving the vicinity of the room that had once belonged to his ex-lover. The air in there was thick and he felt like a weight was pressing down against his chest every time he walked by it; to be standing inside of the room after so long. Baralai really had no words. It had something more than the fact that it was Paine's room, though; it was watching Rikku in Paine's room. It was knowing that, the next time he saw her, she'd be wearing Paine's clothing that had been so difficult.

He closed the door behind him and quickly turned on the comsphere.

"Gippal?" he was startled.

"Have you seen her?" it was a desperate question, his voice hoarse.

Honestly, he didn't look any better for wear than she had when she'd first entered his mansion. His hair was wet, his clothing sticking to his body, his breath ragged. The eye patch that always covered his left eye was slightly askew; something so uncharacteristic of Gippal. It was as though the man had put it on in a hurry and hadn't concerned himself much with whether it would fulfill its purpose or not. Apparently Gippal was as upset with their recent argument as she was, though Baralai was sure that Rikku knew absolutely nothing about the condition Gippal was now in.

"Calm do-"

"Please tell me she's with you!" he cut the praetor off.

"Gippal I have no idea-"

"She's not with Yuna. No one at Djose has seen her!" Gippal ran his hands through his hair, letting his gaze fall away from the comsphere and his elbows rest on the table in front of him. He was shaking his head in disbelief, regret evidently sketched on each of his features. "I-I'm worried about her."

Baralai was silent. It was a shocking revelation. Not shocking in the sense that he knew his friend deeply cared for the girl they were discussing but shocking in light of recent events. The praetor was slowly starting to fit together the missing pieces of the puzzle that seemed to be the happenings of that night.

"I did something…" his voice trailed off and he looked helplessly at Baralai. "Something I shouldn't have. And now I think I might've made the biggest mistake of my life."

Deciding it was best to play dumb, Baralai asked, "Did you propose?"

"I was… I wanted to. But something," he stopped. Words didn't seem to want to come to him. He was struggling to put them together in a coherent statement; but he was failing. Sighing, he started again, "I was worried about, you know, settling down and… everything. And when I saw _her_ aga-"

"Gippal?"

There was silence as the praetor let the deep monotone flow over his senses; as he let himself truly digest the painfully familiar tones. His eyes narrowed despite himself as he desperately searched the shadows over Gippal's shoulder for an image of the voice's owner.

Dark clothing, studded leather, silvery-grey hair, blood red eyes…

As Baralai realized that it was Paine, he felt his heart sink and an anger stronger than he had ever known surge through him. He was blinded by his rage but fought diligently to mask his sudden change of emotion as realization of the situation dawned on him.

He just couldn't understand. Gippal loved Rikku; they should have been together and happy. But Gippal had acted so irresponsibly, he'd ruined Rikku's trust in him. How could Gippal give up his own happiness at the expense of Baralai and Paine's happiness just because of some illegitimate fears?

"Is she in Bevelle?" Gippal broke through the silence.

"No."

And Baralai quickly ended the call.


	8. The Sparks that Start a Fire

**A Line in the Sand**

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**Author's Note:** Sorry for taking my time with this update, loves. But I hope that you will find it was all well worth the wait. This one is, more or less, a continuation of the last chapter. Things would have gotten too long and drawn out if I hadn't cut it off where I did. Please let me know what you think and, perhaps if you feel so inclined, let me know where you'd like to see things go after the end of this chapter.

Before letting you all get on to the story, I would like to take a short moment to truly thank everyone who has read, reviewed, and reached out to me with kind words and encouragement. It truly means the world! So it is all for you and with my utmost appreciation that I continue.

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But I hope that you will

**Warning** ~ This chapter contains a slight (and by slight, I mean I really did leave out quite a lot that I potentially could have added) hint of lemon and other citrusy notions. If you're easily offended by adult material or if you're not interested in reading it, I ask that you please skip this chapter. Thank you very much for your maturity and I'm sorry if I offend anyone by including this in the telling of my story.

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**The Sparks that Start a Fire**

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She could hear his footsteps echoing down the empty hallways and she wrapped her arms around her slender form more tightly as she shivered in the darkness. It would have been hard for her to miss the conversation that had taken place, even if she hadn't been straining her ears for the sound, even if she hadn't wanted so desperately to know who was on the other end of the commsphere. The sound of Gippal's voice brought a rather painful tinge to her heart and she quickly placed a hand over the throbbing muscle.

Why was it fair that there was a worried tone in his voice? Why had he called damn near everyone in Spira to find her? It was his fault that she wasn't curled happily in his arms, resting her head on his chest so she could hear his heartbeat.

Rikku hadn't gone any further into Paine's bedroom than she'd been when Baralai had left her there. Even if she hadn't been straining to hear the conversation between Baralai and Gippal, Rikku wouldn't have been able to bring herself to rummage through the drawers that she knew had to contain Paine's clothing. She wasn't able to touch anything; she couldn't bring herself to feel that familiar electricity that seemed to comprise everything Paine was involved with. Rikku assumed that her belongings would have been no different, regardless of how long she'd been apart from them. But the Al Bhed had very little respect left for her friend, the powerful warrior; Paine's decision to be with Gippal had been hurtful to both herself and Baralai.

It was not a good feeling to be on the outside of a relationship that she still so desperately wanted to be on the inside of.

"Rikku?" Baralai's voice was soothing behind her, a sound that was almost lost between a sigh and a whisper. And it snapped her out of her thoughts. When the praetor placed a hand on her shoulder, Rikku couldn't help but take a step backwards towards him. He was warm, comforting and she was feeling rather cold and alone.

"I-I just can't, Baralai," she looked up at him with sadness in her eyes. But it was different than when she had first gotten to the mansion because this sadness wasn't solely for her to bear on her own. This sadness was for her and for Baralai both to come to terms with. "They're Paine's things."

Blinking for a moment, Baralai's eyes widened before he gently moved his hand to her elbow to lead her safely out of the bedroom. His voice was soothing, understanding, comforting all at once and the tone of it was what Rikku had been so silently praying for, "Oh, of course."

His rage seemed to have been forgotten, though Rikku was unaware that it had existed at all. He quickly closed the door behind them and Rikku flinched just slightly at the way the sound echoed through the empty mansion. Baralai's hand moved from her elbow to her shoulder and he looked down at Rikku for a moment; she felt his eyes bearing into her, as though searching her for some sort of truth. But they weren't cruel, prying eyes. They were kind, urging her to open up and tell him everything about what had happened that night. But the praetor was patient and Rikku was thankful.

They were in Baralai's bedroom before Rikku had really registered that they were moving anywhere. In all honesty, she'd only noticed that they had moved because Baralai had broken contact with her for the first time since he'd looked down into her sad, confused eyes in Paine's bedroom. But he was gone already, in the room Rikku knew to be his closet, and he had returned a few moments later to break the silence by handing her a crisp, button down shirt and a pair of tall white socks.

"Forgive me," he offered her a rather weak smile. "But I'm afraid this is the warmest I have."

Rikku gratefully accepted the dry clothes and quickly hurried towards Baralai's bathroom to change into them. Her dress, while being difficult to remove because of the water it had acquired, was the first thing she took off. Rikku pulled it over her head, feeling the strands of her long, wet locks against her back and shivered despite herself. She took a moment to ring her hair out over the sink and pulled the shirt on over her head, not bothering to unbutton or rebutton it. Her hands stopped for a moment, running over the smooth material of the thick socks he had provided her with, and she quickly pulled them onto her feet.

She was warm almost instantly and, as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, she noticed that some of the color was returning to her face. It wouldn't be long before the shock of the situation wore off and Rikku could feel something other than embarrassment, confusion, hurt. Looking at the place where the shirt ended, just halfway down one of her smooth, toned thighs, Rikku traced the curve of the bottom of the shirt. It cut upwards rather quickly near her sides and Rikku wondered if every man owned shirts like this. Because Gippal had had an entire closet full of them in what had seemed like every possible color.

Scowling at this realization, she quickly turned on the water in the sink and made quick work of wiping away her makeup. By the time she'd erased all traces of what had happened earlier in the evening, Rikku stepped out of the bathroom and noticed Baralai sitting on the edge of his bed, as though he had been waiting for her.

"Perhaps you should call Gippal?" his voice was slightly bitter as he'd spoken the words, indicating that he hadn't spoken because he'd wanted to but felt it was his duty to Gippal to try and help mend things between his two Al Bhed friends, but his posture said nothing of his true feelings. He lowered his eyes as a slight blush crossed his features, "He was rather worried when I spoke with him earlier."

Rikku's voice was flat and she quickly crossed the distance between them to sit next to her friend on the edge of his bed, "Let him sleep on it."

"As you wish."

There was silence for a moment as Rikku played with the ends of the shirt she had borrowed. The cuffs of the sleeves spilled helplessly over her hands, but it was the smooth material that she was interested in more than the bottom of the shirt. While still maintaining her ministrations, Rikku gazed up at Baralai and her breath caught in her throat as she noticed his intense gaze at her.

"If you'll forgive my prying," he began, placing one of his strong hands on top of hers to still them. "What exactly transpired between the two of you this evening?"

She took a deep breath, beginning to feel her strong façade weakening at the very core. Her heartbeat had quickened and Rikku had to close her eyes for a moment in an attempt to stop the tears threatening to fall from her eyes. His hand was a comfort to her. It was warm and welcome in her lap. But she couldn't help but feel a strange sort of mystery pulling her towards him in that moment. She knew that he had already heard Gippal's side of the story but Baralai was looking at her as though he wanted to believe something else entirely.

"There was a storm."

Resisting the urge to let sarcasm get the better of him, Baralai remained patient, waiting for her to continue on her own. She was silent and her eyes were focused on the floor; so to remind her that he was still there, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him in a hug.

"And another woman," she added, her voice completely betraying her strong façade. She hadn't realized that she had been crying until she felt her tears soaking her cheeks. And when Baralai pulled her form against his bare chest, she worried about what his reaction to those tears might be. Her shoulders were shaking and, while not a sound escaped her lips, Rikku wanted very desperately to answer him. She wished that she could depend on Baralai the same way that he had depended on her when he had been trying to heal after Paine left him. Cautiously, she wrapped her arms around Baralai's neck and let herself fall into him.

He rocked her back and forth, occasionally stroking her quickly-drying hair and rubbing the small of her back. They were close together, closer than they had been since the day she'd left Bevelle to return with Gippal to Djose. And Baralai would have been lying to say that it didn't feel good to hold her so close. Instead of dwelling on the thought, however, he would occasionally present the woman in his arms with soft whispers of 'shh! I'm here' or 'everything will be alright, you'll see'.

But when she pulled away and met his eyes with her own, Baralai tightened his grip on her waist just slightly and used a thumb to wipe away the remaining tears on her cheeks. His skin was so soft and the way his hair glowed in the moonlight made Rikku remember the nights before this one when she'd stayed after Yuna had left Baralai's mansion and she'd secretly watched him sleep. Rikku remembered the times when she'd had to force herself to keep her hands from running through his silky hair or brushing across his finely chiseled chest. She wasn't ashamed when she felt chills rush down her spine in response to his touch.

She was surprised when he kissed her.

His lips pressed against hers suddenly and his hands made their way upwards, lacing through the long strands of her golden hair. He couldn't be sure why he'd lost control of himself or even if he'd struggled against his desires at all. It might have been the way the moonlight fell around her in the darkness, it might have been how small she looked in that shirt of his, how damn good her body had felt pressed against his. They were thoughts that might have betrayed the praetor. But he was reminded of his days in the Crimson Squad, of times before he'd been held to such a strict standard of conduct.

This was something he wanted; she was someone he wanted. He'd held those desires somewhere in his subconscious for so long and, now that he was holding her he couldn't bring himself to stop.

Rikku was surprised by his kiss but not disappointed.

And she tightened her arms around his neck, kissing him back and meeting every ounce of his passion with her own. She couldn't say when it was that she had realized she was surrounded in the sheets of Baralai's bed. Rikku had only been aware of his body against her body and when she noticed that he was pressed firmly on top of her his hands were already too warm against her skin and his lips already too familiar over hers for her to ask him to stop.

She couldn't ask herself what she was doing or what she was thinking. It didn't matter to Rikku that she should have been in Gippal's bed and that it should have been him on top of her, his hands all over her, him instilling this pleasure in her. There was nothing on her mind but the feeling of Baralai's warmth, of his lips finding their way all over her skin.

Her breath was coming in short, quick bursts and her heart rate had escalated rapidly. Baralai's fingers were fumbling with the buttons of the shirt that he'd loaned her and before Rikku could pull his lips back to hers, he was already sliding the garment off of her shoulders. Her fingers were laced through his hair and she'd had to sit up to catch his lips with hers. It started as a small kiss, as she ran her fingers across the broad expanse of his chest, and it grew to something more as his tongue gently played at her lips until she obliged its entrance to her mouth.

Without being conscious of how it had happened, Rikku had pushed Baralai into a standing position off of the bed and she was sitting down near the edge of it. Her shirt was completely open in front, her shoulders were exposed, the garment only clinging to her figure because her arms were still inside the long sleeves. Their lips were still holding them together and, somehow, Rikku's fingers managed to find their way to the waistband of Baralai's sleeping pants. She urged them down slowly, breaking away from him for long enough to look into his eyes.

There was passion written where concern had been so shortly before. But the way that he was looking at her only fueled her desire to be rid of the garments separating them. Baralai, however, seemed to have a different plan, as he scooped her up in his arms and laid her gently down in the center of his bed. Hovering over the top of her, he wasted no time before letting his hands roam freely once again.

Gippal had stolen his woman away and the praetor would be damned if he'd let Rikku leave before he'd had a chance to expend his frustrations of the evening. It wasn't often that Baralai was so passionate about something, but it also wasn't often that his best friend was fucking his fiancé behind his back… not to mention that he was also hurting the beautiful, amazing, respectable young woman who was in love with him. But it was Baralai's turn to love Rikku; to show her passion and affection that he'd, previously, saved for only Paine. The praetor was so angry, so frustrated. And he couldn't remember how long he'd been wanting Rikku.

The only thing that mattered in the entire world to the beautiful golden-haired woman were his kisses, those caresses, his breath over her skin. Baralai was so gentle where Rikku had only known urgency and insistence. The only man she'd ever been with in her life was Gippal and his hands had been rough, his touch had been forcible, his eyes were always hungry; everything was fast and resolute, urgent and organic. With Gippal, Rikku only knew raw, unrefined passion.

But this…

Baralai's touch was gentle, his hands were so smooth against her skin. His touch was longing, burning. And his eyes, Shiva his eyes! Rikku drew in a deep breath, feeling it catch in her throat as his lips kissed smooth, deliberate lines across her chest and down her smooth abdomen. And her hands reached desperately for something, some part of him to hold onto because his attentions were beginning to wreck havoc on her delicate senses.

This wasn't the touch that would send her back home to Gippal, ashamed of herself. This was a touch that would keep her in Baralai's bed forever, lavishing in every pleasure he would allow her.

His was a touch that left her body longing in the places he moved his hands from. She was fragile under him and he understood, answering with a passionate demand and determination. His lips, his hands, his body; everything moving in perfect unison, as though Rikku were the only woman in this universe he had on his mind, as though she were the only other being he wished to please.

And when her voice broke through the silence, a small, desperate sigh, "Baralai, please," he'd been so happy to oblige. He took her quickly, but maintained control of himself when he heard another gasp escape her slightly parted lips. He wanted her to remember this night, he wanted her to remember him; because this was something he'd wanted to do for so long. This was the only power he could ever hold over Gippal. This was the only time that he might be able to fulfill one of his desperate fantasies. He was going to possess Rikku; send her senses into overdrive and bring her over the edge so many times his would be the only name she could think of.

Everything was so much slower with Baralai, as though he was more focused on taking his time and savoring every moment. With every passionate thrust, Rikku could feel herself longing for the next one. It wasn't a dizzying passion. It wasn't confusing, and fast, and uncontrolled. This was something that Rikku knew she would remember in the morning, something that she would long for.

She felt herself let go and fall over the edge. Her heart was racing, her mind completely numb. And it wasn't until the warm form of Baralai collapsed on top of her that she was able to open her eyes and return to consciousness. Rikku wrapped her arms around his neck, lacing her fingers through his soft silver hair as the fatigue began to pull at her. His arms were tight around her waist, holding her body close to his. Baralai's breath was warm against her neck, sending more chills down her spine.

'Is this what it feels like to make love?' she caught herself wondering as she felt Baralai's tender lips gently caressing that special place beneath her jawbone; the place she'd thought only Gippal knew how to find…


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